Festivals Of Delhi

Republic Day

Come 26 January and people line the streets to watch the Republic day parade. As the President of India takes the salute on Rajpath, marching columns from the armed forces, tanks and missile carriers rumble past. Camels amble along, elephants come swaying, schools children turn cartwheels and transform the solemn occasion into a carnival. An exciting folk dance festival follows a day later at Talkatora Stadium. The festivities end with Beating the Retreat, a feast of martial music, at Vijay Chowk on 29 January.

Lohri

On 13th January, a rural festival, Lohri, invades the streets of Delhi and is celebrated with bonfires in parks and open spaces. Traditionally, Lohri marks the end of winter.

Basant Panchami(Date Varies)

The biting winter winds countinue till end January-early February when the Hindu festival of Basant Panchami welcomes spring.

Statesman Vintage Car Rally

Statesman Vintage Car Rally is held in early February on a balmy weekend. Classic cars roll sedately out on to the roads, ambling off on a day trip to Sohna in the bordering state of Haryana.

Holi

On the day of the full moon is in the month of Phalguna, Delhi braces itself for a day of uninhibited reverly as Holi is celebrated with great vigour and joy. All morning people smear Gulal (coloured powder) often mixed with water on one another and dance to the beat of drums. There is a tradition in north India of consuming bhang (a derivative of cannabis) on Holi.
The night before Holi bonfires are lit at street corners, symbolically burning the demon Holika and celebrating the triumph of good over evil.

Mahashivratri

Mahashivratri is celebrated on the amavasya night of Phalguna. It is said Lord Shiva danced the tandava nritya (cosmic dance) on this dark night. He is worshipped at temples with all night vigils and prayers. Unmarried women keep day long fasts so that Shiva may grant them good husbands.

Baisakhi

In north India, the Hindu new year is celebrated on Baisakhi in mid-April just as the sun begins to get fierce and the dusty winds herald summer.

Id-Ul-Fitr

Id-ul-fitr is most often celebrated in this season. It marks the end of Ramzan, the month of fasting for Muslims. This day is also called Meethi Id (sweet id), because of a special sweet called sevaiyyan ( a kind of vermicelli) which is cooked on this day.

Ours

The Usr of Hazrat Nizamuddin is celebrated with fervour at his dargah. Devotees put flowers and chaddars on his grave. The nights sway to the singing of qawwalis, especially those composed by the medieval poet, Amir Khusro, a friend and disciple of the saint.

Ramnavami

The birth of Lord Rama, is celebrated on the ninth day of Shuklapaksh (waxing moon) in Vaisakha with reading from the Hindu epic, Ramayana, at temples, both large and small.

Buddha Purnima

Buddha Purnima is the month of Vaisakha, commemorates not just Lord Buddha's birth, but also his Englishtenment and Nirvana.

Mahavir Jayanti

The birth of Lord Mahavira who founded Jainism, is celebrated around this time with prayers and processions.

Muharram

Muharram is observed with processions of emotionally charged devotees wailing and beating their breasts. Others recount the story of Husain and carry elaborate paper, pith and tinsel replicas of the tomb at Karbala called tazias.

Independence Day

On 15 August, India celebrates Independence day with the Prime Minister addressing the nation from the Lal Qila's sandstone ramparts. On this day a tradition has evolved of people flying kites and the breezy evening sky is dotted with soaring squares of fragile, coloured paper.

Rakshabandhan

On Sravana purnima Rakshabandhan is celebrated. Sisters tie rakhis on their brother's wrists as a pledge of love and receive their promise of protection and normally a gift or money.

Janmashtami

Janmashtami is celebration of bith of Lord Krishna on the eight day of krishnapaksh (waning moon) in Sravana. Temples across the city are decorated with fairy lights and colorful exhibits on Krishna's life. Laxmi Narayan Mandir (Birla Mandir) has a special display which attracts huge crowds.

Id-Ul-Zuha

Id-Ul-Zuha is popularly known as bakr Id, the 'feast of sacrifice'. This is time for celebration for meat-eaters and a spirit of general bonhomie pervades among Muslims.

Phoolwalon Ki Sair

Phoolwalon Ki Sair is a festival unique to delhi. It is celebrated in september in Mehrauli.

Navaratrey

Navaratrey literally means nine nights, commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur.

Vijay Dashmi

Navaratrey ends with this festival. On this day, Rama believed to have defeated Ravana., his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnath, filled with fire crackers and set on fire in community gatherings in open spaces all over the city. Ram Lila are organised in most neighbourhoods all through the nini days of Navaratrey.

Durga Puja

Durga Puja is celebrated by Bengalis on the last four days of Navaratrey. Images of the mother goddess, Durga, all fiery power and exquisite beauty, are worshipped with flowers, incense of the beating of drums.

Balloon Mela

Around the same time, the vibrant Ballon Mela at Safdarjung Airport celebrates adventure with huge exotic hot air balloons lazily floating across the sky.

Diwali

Dewali is the festival of lights, falls on Amavasya, the darkest night of Kartika. It is believed that on this day Lord Rama come home to his kingdom after a fourteen years exile and the city of Ayodhya lit oil lamps to welcome him. Sweets and gifts are exchanged between families and friends admits the bursting of crackers. Doors are left open on dewali for goddess Laxmi. With many small business establishments in north India.

Guru Purab

Guru Purab is the celebration of the birth of first of the ten Sikh gurus, Guru Nanak.Nagar kirtans are taken out through the streets and in the Gurudwaras, granthees recite verses from the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs.

Christmas

Delhi's year of festivities end with Christmas and the New Year Eve when there are special programmers at most hotels and restaurants across the city.